System of selective electrical distribution.



C. F. KETTERING & W. A. CHRYST.

. SYSTEM OF SELECTIVE ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 6. I916.

1,293,467. Patented Feb. 4, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEEI I.

I W "I I C. F. KETTERING & W. A. CHRYST. SYSTEM OF SELECTIVE ELECTRICALDISTRIBUTION.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5. 1916. 1,293,467. Patented Feb. 4, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEE[ 2.

' our co-pending CHARLES FfKETTERIN G AND WILLIAM A. THE DAYTONENGINEERING LABORATOR CHRYST, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO IES COMPANY,A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

SYSTEM OF SELECTIVE ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 4, 1919.

Original application filed November 20, 1912, Serial N 0. 732,483.Divided and this application filed March 6, 1916. Serial No. 82,416.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES F. KETT R- ING and WILLIAM A. CHRYsr,citizens of the United States of America, residing at Dayton, county ofMontgomery, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Systems of Selective Electrical Distribution, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in electrical systems, andespecially to that type of systems employed in conjunction withcombustion engines for furnishing ignition thereto, and for variousother purposes.

Among the objects of the present invention is to provide a plurality ofelectrical sources and circuits having controlling elements operable toaccomplish certain predetermined functions as regard to the abovementioned electric sources and circuits.

The present application is a division of application, Serial No.732,483, filed November 20, 1912.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein preferred forms of the present invention are clearlyillustrated.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the electric circuits and connectionsembodied in the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the switch unit included in theembodiment of the in-,

vention disclosed in diagrammatic Fig. 1.

, Fig. 3 is a view m rear elevation of the switch unit with the outercasing removed to more clearly illustrate the supporting plate anddetent.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the common contact plate employed in thepresent embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of the switch assembled, with a portion ofthe switch casing being broken away, so as to clearly show the operationand construction of certain of the push button or controlling elements,and their relation to the latching detent, when in operative andinoperative positions.- It will be understood, of course, in this viewthat certain of the elements have been omitted for the sake ofclearness.

Referring to the drawings, and more parimpulse is secured for eachexplosion of the engine, by having a main circuit intermittently openedand closed by the operation of the engine actuated timer cam. That is,each time the main circuit is made and broken by the timer cam, asparking impulse is inducted into the secondary circuits -in the usualmanner.

However, as has been explained heretofore, it is always desirable tohave some means for securing a vibrating spark efi'ect, under certainconditions, such as for instance, when starting the engine or at suchtimes as the ordinary single spark ignition, of either the battery ormagneto type. does not efliciently meet the requirements.

In the present instance, the induction coil is so constructed andarranged that it will,

upon certain circuit connections being made, give the vibrating coileffect.

However, in the present instance, the system has been so designed thatthe vibrating spark efiect can only be secured at such times as theengine actuated timer cam is off contact, that is, at such times as thecontacts of the timer are in position to open the main circuit.

The present system also embodies the idea of introducing a resistanceunit in the main. circuit, which will prevent a needless flow ofcurrent, in the event that the circuit-remains closed for an extendedperiod, as would be the case where the timer contacts remain in circuitclosing position, brought to a stop.

The above described invention is included in the co-pending applicationof C. F. Kettering, Serial No. 643,547, filed August 11, 1911. a

Again, the present system provides a condenser which is connecteddirectly across the when the engine is timer contacts and which also 1sconnected across the contacts which are normally ineluded within thevibrating coil circuit. It has been found that if the condenser circuitwere compelled to pass current through the resistance unit, theefiiciency of the condenser would be greatly reduced, therefore, thiscircuit is shunted around the resistance unit.

Referring to Fig. 1, the numeral 20 indicates a battery of any suitabletype, one pole of which is connected by means of the wire 21 to thecontact plate 22, which in turn is adapted to be forced into contactwith the common contact element 23, by means of the operation of thebutton 24. When this button 24 has been operated to close the batterycircuit, the current will pass through the following course: from thebattery 20, through wire 21, independent contact arm 22, one of the arms25 of the common contact elements 23, wire 26, resistance unit 27, whichis preferably constructed of iron wire, or in fact, of any materialwherein the resistance thereof increases as its temperature rises,thence to the timer 28, via .the wire 29, which is common to both themagneto or generator and battery circuits. From the timer, the currentpasses through the Wire 30, coil 31, which is wound about the core 32,and which performs the function of the primary winding of an inductioncoil, and also serves to so energize the core element 32, as to attractthe contact carrying armature 33, which, as will appear hereinafter,

vmakes it POSSlblB to secure the vibrating spark effect, under .certainconditions. From this coil, the current passes through the wires 34 and35, to the opposite side of the battery 20.

When the magneto type of ignition is to be brought into'efiect, thebutton 36 is depressed to close the contact s37 and 38, so

that current from the magnetoor dynamo electric machine 39, or storagebattery 40,

- as the case may be, passes through the wire 41, contact 37 and 38,wire 26, resistanceunit 27, wire 29, acrossthe timer 28, wire 30, coil31, back to the opposite side of the generator, Via

the wires 34- and 42.

Now, when it is desirable to secure the vibrating spark effect,thebutton 43 is depressed 0 close the contacts 44 and 45, and when thestructure shown in dotted lines in Fi 2 is employed, the depression ofthe button 43 will also depress the button 24,

thus ,closing the contacts 22 and 25, by the operation of the button 43.

This arrangement, of course, can be eliminated and the buttons 43 and 24operated independently of each other to secure the same efiect. It will,of course, appear that other means for securing the closing of thenecessary circuits may be secured by a different arrangement of certainof the contact and circuit connections.

However, when the construction 1S similar from the battery 20, throughand also tends to depress operation of the to that shown in Fig. 2, thecurrent will flow wires 35 and 34, to the coil 31, through the armature33, contact element 46, wire 47, through the contact elements 44 and 45,through the common contact plate 25, and plate 22, back to the battery,via wire 21.

Now, as soon as the core 32 becomes sufficiently energized by currentpassing through the winding 31, the armature 33 will be attracted towardthe core, thus breaking the contact between the armature 33 and theplate 46, which will, of course, produce a sparking impulse in theproper secondary circuit. As soon as the current is broken in thiscircuit, of course, the spring 48 will retract the armature 'intocontact with the plate 46, and a similar action to that just described,will again take place. This intermittent opening and closing of thecircuit will be continuous until such a time as the timer element'28 ismoved so as to close the main circuit, or until the buttons 43 and24-have been released.

When the form of switch shown in Fig. 2 is used, it will 'be understoodthat the operation of the button 43 not only tends to close contacts 44and 45, but due to the plate extensions shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2,tends to close 'contacts 22 and 25 by depressing the button 24. Thiscompletes the circuit for the vibrating spark type of ignitlon.

The construction'of the button 24 is such that When it is depressed itwill be latched in contact making position due to the eflect of thelatching. detent 70. The construction ofthe button 43, however, is suchthat no latching effect will take place upon the depression thereof,inasmuch as the detent is ineffective relative to this button.

The above construction of the various buttons is clearly set forth andclaimed in our co-pending application, Serial No. 732,483, filedNovember 20', 1912, which eventuated into U. S. Patent No. 1,211,378,and it is not deemed necessary to give a detail description and showingof this construction in the present application.

When the operator depresses button 43, this tends to close the contacts44 and 45.

the button 24 closing contacts 22 and 25. Now, as soon as the operatorreleases the button 43, it will immediately return to normal positionand thereby allow the contacts 44 and 45 to assume their normallysupported positions. However, the button 24 will remain in depressedposition. thus closing thecircuit for tlie single spark type ofignition, which is a desirable type of ignition to be used during theengine.

The condenser 49 is connected directly across the contact points 50'and51 of the timer element 28, and it will be seen that a condenser circuitis created between the armature 33 and the plate 46, one side of whichmay be describedas being from the armature 33, through the wire 30,through wire 52, to one side of the condenser. The other side of thiscircuit consists of the plate 46, wire 47, plate 44, button 43, groundconnections 53 and 54, wire wire 29, to the other side of the condenser,via wire 56.

The ground connections 53 and Fiji, which are respectively connected tothe button 43 and the Wire 55, will be seen to form a shunt around theresistance element 27, so that the efficiency of the condenser may bemaintained.

The mechanical construction of a preferable form of switch to beemployed in the present system, is clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 7, andcomprises a number of elements which are similar in construction tocertain elements described, claimed and shown in our co-pendingapplication, which eventu- -ated into the aforementioned U. S. PatentReferring to Fig. 3, there is shown a com mon contact element 23, whichis mounted on but insulated from the supporting plate 57 by means of aninsulating plate 58. In the present form of the invention the latchingand locking elements arecombined in a single unit; that is, thereleasing button which controls the latching detent 70, has provisionswhereby the locking of the switch may be readily effected. The releasingpin 59 has a shank portion 60 provided with an annular groove 61, withinwhich is normally positioned a spring pressed plunger element 62.annular groove and is of greater depth than the depth of said groove andnormally is arranged to lie directly in alinement with the plunger 62,so that while the button may be depressed or pushed in, by exertingpressure against the button 59, it will be impossible to turn saidbutton on its axis, without first inserting the key element 64, whichupon being inserted within the opening formed in the center of thebutton element, will depress the plunger element 62, to such an extentthatit will be possible to turn the entire button or controlling element59, in

order to effect, first, a release of all buttons which are in depressedposition, and second, to lock or prevent from operation, any of thesebuttons until the controlling element is returned to its normal or openposition.

IVhile the form of mechanism herein shown and described, constitutes apreferred form of embodiment of the invention, it is to be understoodthat other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of theclaims which follow.

What we claim is as follows:

1. In an ignition system, the combination A cut-away portion 63 leadsfrom said.

with a battery having circuit connections including timing mechanism; amain switch for closing the battery circuit to secure single sparkignition; an auxiliary switch for controlling the circuit connectionsfor giving vibrating spark ignition, said auxiliary switch havingprovisions for actuating the main switch when the auxiliary switch isoperated; and means for latching the main switch in circuit closingposition when actuated by said auxiliary switch.

3. In an ignition system, the combination with a battery having circuitconnections including timing mechanism; of a main 90 switch for closingthe battery circuit to secure single spark ignition; an auxiliary switchfor controlling the circuit connections for giving vibrating sparkignition, said auxiliary switch having provisions for actuating the mainswitch; and means effective to latch the main switch in circuit closingposition but ineffective to latch the auxiliary switch in circuitclosing position.

4:. In a system for supplying combustion and explosion engines withignition, the combination with battery and magneto systems, comprisingcircuit connections and timing mechanism; a battery circuit including acircuit interrupter independent of the timing mechanism; a magnetocircuit including the timing mechanism and having a resistance unitembodied therein; and a condenser connected across the contacts of thecircuit'interrupter in the battery circuit, and in shunt relative tosaid resistance unit.

5. In a system for supplying combustion and explosion engines withignition, the combination with a plurality of ignition systems; meansfor controlling one of said ignition systems to secure a determined typeof ignition; and means operable only subsequent to the actuation of theabove mentioned means to bring into effect a different circuit in shunt,relative 'to the timing mechanism, to secure vibrating spark ignition.

7. In a system for supplying combustion and explosion engines withignition, the combination with a battery ignition system, includingcircuit connections and timing mechanism; means for closing one of thecircuit connections through the timing mechanism to secure single sparkignition; and means operable subsequently to the operation of the abovementioned means to close additional circuit connections, wherebyvibrating spark ignition may be secured at such times as the timingmechanism maintains the first mentioned circuit connections in opencondition.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

CHARLES F. KETTERING. WILLIAM A. CHRYST.

' Witnesses:

J, W. MCDONALD, O. D. Mower.

